Candles in His Heart
by mistlove
Summary: There's a fire that burns in Yuri's chest, something that grows the more time he spends with Estelle. Yustelle.


NO PERVERTED COMMENTS AND OR REQUESTS IN REVIEWS. RUDE REVIEWS WILL RESULT IN THE STORY BEING TAKEN DOWN. REFRAIN FROM SWEARING. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE AUTHOR.  
**Title:**Candles in His Heart  
**Summary:** There's a fire that burns in Yuri's chest, something that grows the more time he spends with Estelle. Yustelle.

**Author:** mistlove  
**Copyrights:** Plot is mine. Everything else belongs to Namco Bandai.

**A/N:** This is the Day 6 prompt "flame" for the 30 Days of Writing Challenge I'm doing on tumblr. (morningskylight . tumblr . com) Sorry I'm late in uploading! This has been on tumblr for awhile now.

...

There is no one but her who can provoke this kind of protective fire in him.

It sounds stupid, like the words of a teenager in love. But Yuri is twenty-one, with more life experience and skeletons in his closet than most people. He knows how he feels, even if he has trouble admitting it.

Estelle appears small and fragile to him, even though he knows she's very capable of taking care of herself. But she is a pink-haired princess for god's sake- she looks _soft._ He feels a bit justified in wanting to protect her.

There's been a fire there in his chest since day one. The flames flicker and grow as he spends more time with Estelle. He wants to protect her from the harsh realities of this world, but at the same time, he wants her to be free.

...

Karol falters a little. "... Maybe by, you know, seducing him with feminine wiles?"

"Well then..." Yuri knows he shouldn't, but it's just harmless teasing. Judith is the one who'll actually get the job done. "Estelle," he says, trying to keep a straight face as he turns to her, "you up for it?"

"Huh?" Estelle's face immediately colors to match her hair. She tucks her hands protectively closer to her chest. "M-Me? N-Not a chance!"

"Not a chance, huh?" He grins, smacking his sword up against his shoulder.

Judith is raising her eyebrows at him, a knowing smile on her lips.

He ignores her and gives a mock shrug at Estelle. "I guess you're not too sexy anyway."

Estelle makes a distressed, embarrassed sound in her throat as she stomps forward past him. "I am sexy enough, thank you very much!" she huffs, snapping her head away from him. She pauses before glancing back at him challengingly and continuing, "Want me to prove it?"

He feels his grin widen. "Sure."

The gang talks, deciding to go buy a fitting outfit for Estelle. Along the way, Judith teases her and Yuri steps up to defend her. It really would be the hardest thing she's ever done... if she actually went through with it. Which he expects she won't. Estelle isn't as shy as she looks; she does have some sass in her, but he can't imagine her wearing anything like what Judy wears. That takes some sexual confidence Yuri isn't convinced Estelle has.

...

Oh, he was _so wrong_.

Estelle comes down from upstairs with the new outfit on and that protective fire in Yuri's chest drops to his stomach. And becomes a decidedly _very different type of fire_.

But that flame returns to its protective properties when the guard starts chasing after Estelle. Judith smiles at him again when she sees he doesn't hold back when he knocks the guard out. It's actually unnerving how perceptive the Krityan actually is.

Karol complains about Yuri's use of force.

He fakes a nonchalant shrug. "If I hadn't knocked him out, Estelle would've been in a tight spot."

Estelle starts off about the complications of lying to the guard.

"That's not what I meant," he mutters.

Estelle blinks up at him innocently, green eyes slightly confused.

It's still raining and her pink hair is sticking against her cheeks. He wants to reach out and brush the strands behind her ear and then hug her and apologize for making her even do the stupid seduction routine.

But he doesn't and instead lets the flame in his chest grow.

...

NO PERVERTED COMMENTS AND OR REQUESTS IN REVIEWS. RUDE REVIEWS WILL RESULT IN THE STORY BEING TAKEN DOWN. REFRAIN FROM SWEARING. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE AUTHOR.


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